The U.S. military brass came under tough criticism from senators who slammed them for their handling of repeated allegations of sexual assault cases by military personnel, NBC News reported.
However, army commanders, who were present at the Senate Arms Congressional hearing, rejected potential far-reaching congressional efforts to strip commanders' ability to oversee sexual assault crimes by their personnel.
"Not all commanders are objective," New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand argued, staring directly at military leaders. "Not every single commander necessarily wants women on the force, not every commander believes what a sexual assault is, not every single commander can distinguish between a slap on the ass and a rape because they merge all of these crimes together."
General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Gen. Raymond Odierno, chief of staff of the Army; Adm. Jonathan Greenert, chief of naval operations; General James Amos, commandant of the Marine Corps; General Mark Welsh, chief of staff of the Air Force, and Admiral Robert Papp Jr., commandant of the Coast Guard, each acknowledged that sexual assault is a serious problem but one that commanders are equipped to handle.
They all used their opening statements to the committee to express opposition to Gillibrand's proposal.
"These crimes cut to the heart of the Army's readiness for war. They destroy the very fabric of our force -- soldier and unit morale," Odierno said.
Senator John McCain, who built a potent political career on his record as a Vietnam veteran and ex-prisoner of war said the problem within the military is so bad, he cannot in good conscience advise women to join the service.
"Just last night, a woman came to me and said her daughter wanted to join the military and could I give my unqualified support for her doing so. I could not," McCain said. "At its core, this is an issue about defending basic human rights but it's also a long-term threat to the strength of our military. We have to ask ourselves: if left uncorrected, what impact will this problem have on recruitment and retention of qualified men and women? I cannot overstate my disgust and disappointment over continued reports of sexual misconduct in our military. We've been talking about this issue for years and talk is insufficient."
Senator Gillibrand has proposal legislation requiring sexual assault charges be handled outside the victim's chain of command. "You have lost the trust of the men and women who rely on you, that you will actually bring justice in these cases," she said. "They are afraid to report. They think their careers will be over."
Commanders promised Tuesday to act swiftly to eradicate the "cancer" of sexual assaults in the armed services but voiced united opposition to proposed legislation that would limit commanders' authority to address charges of sexual assault within their chain of command.
A Pentagon report in May showed the estimated number of victims of sexual assault last year jumped to 26,000, up from 19,000 in 2010. Only 3,374 were reported, which indicated that many victims stay silent out of fear that they could face retribution or indifference if they speak.
Regarding the "scourge" of sexual assault cases in the military, President Obama said, "I have no tolerance for this," during a May 7 press conference. "If we find out somebody's engaging in this stuff, they've got to be held accountable, prosecuted, stripped of their positions, court-martialed, fired, dishonorably discharged - period."
"The Invisible War," a 2012 documentary directed by Kirby Dick, revealed how the institutions themselves "perpetuate the crime as well as its profound personal and social consequences."
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